Updated 11:24 pm, Thursday, November 14, 2013

BRIDGEPORT -- A woman accused of beating her poodle puppy to death and then burying it in her backyard was allowed to go free Thursday.

"Obviously, it's not true. Now get out of my way," Rommy Rodriguez said as she made her way past reporters and out of the Golden Hill Street courthouse, after a judge reduced her bond from $10,000 to a promise to appear in court.

Police said Rodriguez constantly beat the months-old puppy named Dora while neighbors complained of the dog's frantic cries with each whack of Rodriguez's hand.

The 23-year-old Rodriguez was arrested at her Pacific Street home Thursday morning by local police and members of the U.S. Marshal Violent Crime Fugitive Task Force and charged with cruelty to animals.

During her arraignment before state Superior Court Judge Earl Richards, Rodriguez showed no expression as she stood with her hands cuffed behind her.

"This is a very serious case. She allegedly beat a puppy to death," Richards began. "There has been a lot of information that people who have no control and hurt defenseless animals could also hurt people."

The judge added, however, that a promise to appear in court was warranted in this case. Richards scheduled the next court date for Dec. 5.

"Thank you," Rodriguez said as she was led away by judicial marshals.

Police said if it were not for an observant neighbor, Rodriguez might not have been arrested.

The neighbor told police he often heard the puppy crying after allegedly being beaten by Rodriguez. But on a recent day, the neighbor said he heard the dog's crying growing fainter as the beating went on for 20 to 30 minutes until finally, there was no sound from the dog at all.

Police said the neighbor later saw Rodriguez and an unidentified man in the backyard with a large plastic garbage bag.

The next day, the neighbor went into the yard and saw a freshly dug area. He dug it up to find the dog's body, police said.

The neighbor carried the small body to the city's animal shelter. Police said a necropsy determined the dog died from blunt force trauma to its head.

Police said another neighbor had recorded the dog's distressing cries on his cellphone, which he played for officers.